


Fatherhood

by Midnyt_Tyr



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Dean is such a good big brother, Fluff, Gen, John Winchester's single fatherhood, Tiny Sam is too adorable
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-14
Updated: 2014-06-21
Packaged: 2018-02-04 15:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1784044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnyt_Tyr/pseuds/Midnyt_Tyr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raising Sam and Dean wasn't always easy, but John wouldn't have it any other way. He always loved his boys and even though their new lives were riddled with struggle, it never stopped him from enjoying the simpler things in fatherhood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Single Father

**Author's Note:**

> Took a quick break from all the E rated works to throw something cute and slightly angsty up. I love the thought of (Nonsexual)Daddy!John Winchester and baby Sam and toddler Dean. Hope you guys enjoy!

Fatherhood came easily to John after Dean was born. With his beautiful and loving wife by his side, there was nothing he felt he couldn’t do. No, he wasn’t perfect, he and Mary had their arguments, but he was a damn good father to his son. When Mary became pregnant with Sam, John’s heart was fit to burst. Two beautiful children? Two baby boys? Their little Dean would have a baby brother, unlike his father.

Sammy was born and John couldn’t think of a time he cried harder, other than Dean’s birth, or course.

Then Mary died and John had never felt so empty, sitting in the back of the ambulance, cradling a wailing Sam with an equally distraught Dean clinging to his arm. John’s mind was swimming in confusion. What had he seen? What happened to his darling wife? What was going to happen to him and his boys? 

So much fire…

There wasn’t even enough of Mary to bury. She had an empty casket and a tombstone. Nothing else remained but her memory. John just stared at her empty coffin as friends and family mingled around the gravesite before her burial. One of Mary’s uncles was holding Sam, his wife hugging Dean and talking sweetly to him. John just stared, stray tears cascading down his cheeks occasionally. Every so often, someone would give John a pat on the back and their condolences or a soft peck on the cheek and encouraging words, telling him that he has to be strong for his boys.

His boys… His poor, motherless angelic boys. Dean looked over at the coffin and began crying softly, clinging to his great aunt. Sammy was just looking around, smiling when his eyes landed on his daddy’s form, making grabby hands for John. John looked between Dean, Sam and Mary’s coffin and felt himself breaking down. When Mary’s coffin was finally lowered into the ground, John broke.

“Mary…?” he called softly. This was too much. It was too final. She was really gone. Gone forever. Taken by something otherworldly. John sank to his knees, burying his face in his hands and sobbing, silently begging Mary not to leave him, not to leave their boys. He vaguely registered Dean’s sobs accompanying his own. He didn’t notice Mary’s brother’s arms wrap around him. He hadn’t noticed when he leaned into those arms, his body shaking, wracked with the pain of losing his soul mate. He looked up at the coffin and turned towards the sound of a soft whimper.

Sammy was making grabby hands for him again. John stood and cradled his baby boy. He immediately scooped Dean into his free arm, who wrapped his little arms around his father’s neck and cried for his mommy. Sammy just snuggled into his Daddy’s chest, his tiny hand holding onto his shirt.

He was a single father now. He was going to get revenge for Mary’s murder, he swore it. He just had to do it while raising his two young boys on his own.


	2. Shots and Pudding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the doctor followed by a trip to the grocery store.

“Dah’dee!” Sammy squealed happily as John bounced him on his knee. The Winchesters were sitting in a doctor’s office, waiting to get Sam his booster shots. Sam had only began saying “Daddy” the previous day and while John was still reeling from learning of the creatures of nightmares, especially the one that killed Mary, he couldn’t keep himself from grinning like a madman every time little, chubby Sammy squealed for him.

“He is just adorable!”

John looked up at a petite, almost middle aged woman with a tall, lanky young girl with her. Dean and Sam both looked up at the woman and her daughter, Dean scooted closer to John and Sammy turned back to his father, wanting to bounce again.

“Dah’dee!” Sam squealed. John chuckled, bouncing Sam again.

“Thank you, ma’am.” He smiled up at her.

After a few minutes of small talk (that John strained through), a nurse called John’s name and the torture of Sam Winchester began.

After that hellacious ordeal, John bribed Sam with a small lollipop given to him by one of the nurses. Dean had asked a million questions the whole time; what’s in that needle? What does that do? Do I have to get these shots? When did I get them? Did I cry too?

Next stop, the grocery store. John pushed the shopping cart through each isle of the store, looking at his list, then down the aisle. He moved away from the cart, telling Dean to stay close to Sam.

Sam, however, was too busy pulling whatever he could reach into the basket. As John pushed the cart throughout the store, each time he looked away, Sam pulled something into the cart. Dean would just giggle.

As John began emptying the contents of the cart onto the conveyor belt, he paused. He didn’t grab any Dijon mustard. Damn sure not four bottles of it. And where the hell did this extra butter come from? And all the pudding??

“Sammy?” John quirked a brow in the boy’s direction.

Sam giggled.

“Did you put all of this in here?”

“Dah’dee.” He giggled, patting John’s head when his father leaned closer to him. John smiled lovingly. 

“Dean? Did you put anything in the cart?”

Dean smiled and nodded, pulling a pack of gum from the bottom of the cart. John put the gum and two packs of pudding, one chocolate and one vanilla, on the belt along with the groceries he needed. The clerk snickered at the boys’ shenanigans and batted her lashes at John, who was still wearing his smile when he turned to her.


	3. The very first "Jerk!", "Bitch"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sammy is in his "Mine" phase and Dean's trying to get Sam to cooperate.

“Sammy, _please_ give that here! Dad’s gonna be mad at you if he sees you with it!” Dean said, glancing at the motel door. John went out to get some food for the boys and Sam decided that while Dad was away, he was going to be a total bitch!

“No! My-my!” Sam said, toddling off with John’s journal. John had been obsessing over something for the past week and he was jotting everything down in his journal, the very same journal Sam was trying to open from under the table.

Dean crawled under it and Sammy squealed and barrel rolled away, still clutching the book. Dean crawled to him and pinned him down.

“Owie, De!! Leggo!” he shrieked. Dean tried to pull the journal from his baby brother’s fingers, but the little bitch had a firm grip!

“Let go, Sammy! It’s not yours!”

“NO!!! MY-MY!!!” he screamed. “Leggo, jerk!” He bit Dean’s hand and his older brother yelped and pulled away. 

Sam decided to be a _real_ bitch and crawl under the damn bed.

“Sammy, you little rat! Get out here!” Dean hollered, trying to reach his chubby feet. Sammy scooted farther under the bed.

“No, De! No! My-my! No De!” Sam blew raspberries at Dean and the older boy felt his face grow red with anger. Damn him and damn this “mine” phase!

For a barely three year old, this brat was being a real bitch!

Dean froze when he heard the Impala pull up. He’d know the sound of Daddy’s car anywhere.

“Sammy, _PLEASE_? I’ll make you a bowl of Lucky Charms! I’ll even make sure it’s nothing but marshmallows!” he pleaded.

Sam stilled for a second, then giggled. “No! Book my-my!”

Dean growled and squeezed his upper half under the bed, grabbing Sam’s foot. John opened the door to the sound of Sam screaming and the sight of Dean yanking the boy from under the bed empty handed.

“Got‘cha, ya little bitch!” he celebrated.

“ _DEAN WINCHESTER!!”_ John bellowed. Dean let go of Sam, who immediately began crying and toddled to his Dad, who picked him up and cradled him. He walked to the table and set the take out containers down, gently hushing Sam.

“Shh shh shh, baby boy. It’s okay. You’re okay.” he soothed. He turned a heated glare onto Dean. “What is your major malfunction, boy?! You could’ve hurt him like that!” John scolded.

Poor Dean flinched away like a kicked puppy. Shit, he even whimpered like one. John sighed. Now, Dean looked like he was T-minus five from wailing like his baby brother. He wasn’t wrong. Dean’s eyes ran over with tears and he began crying into his hands. It was then when he noticed the front of Dean’s pants were wet.

Shit.

John hung his head and sighed. He felt like a giant dick. “Dean. Deano, baby boy, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.” John said softly, walking over to his oldest. Dean was stressed out and John knew it. He’d been watching Sam, feeding him, cleaning him and pretty much being the boy’s mother while John was working. He was only seven, for God’s sake. He shouldn’t have to deal with raising a baby AND having John scream at him. John set Sammy on his feet and put both hands on Dean’s shoulders.

“Dean? Look at me.” John said softly. When Dean’s pale green eyes, wet with tears, met John’s dark hazel-greens, John’s heart broke. He kissed his oldest on his forehead. “I’m sorry, big guy. Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

John led Dean to the bathroom and ran him a warm bath as the little one stripped his clothes. He’d just finished filling the tub when he heard Dean shout.

“SAMMY!! NO!!”

John was out of the small bathroom in a heartbeat, almost mowing Dean down in the process. In John’s earlier anger, he’d left the door cracked open. It was less than an inch, but a toddler can turn an inch into a mile in a blink. Sam was already outside in nothing but his footie pajamas, his thumb in his mouth and John’s journal held against his tiny chest.

Breathing deeply, John opened the door and leaned against the frame. The last thing he needed was to look like a kidnapper by snatching Sam up and slamming the door. Besides, maybe the fresh air would do Sammy some good. He looked over his shoulder to the bathroom. “Get in the tub, Dean. Relax. I’ve got Sammy.”

Dean nodded and went to take his bath, leaving the bathroom door open.

Turning back to his little chubby adventurer, John couldn’t help but smile. His eyes were scanning everything around him. He was so little, so curious, so eager to know everything and so eager to be big, like his big brother. When his scanning of the area turned him around to face his father, he jumped. They locked eyes, staring unblinking at one another. John smirked at Sam and quirked a brow. Sammy giggled.

“Hee hee! Daddy!” He said around his thumb. John chuckled. Sammy was so tiny compared to his father. To everyone, it was adorable to see a big, rough looking guy like John Winchester with a cute baby boy like Sammy. Add Dean to the mix and John was a regular favorite with the ladies in every city, countryside and Podunk town across the lower forty-eight. Hell, even now, there were a couple of doors cracked open and smiling faces turned their way.

“Come to Daddy, Sammy.”

Sammy giggled and waddled to his Daddy, dropping the journal at John’s feet and grabbing his pants. He tried climbing up John’s legs and the man laughed, scooping him up. He picked his journal off the floor and walked back inside, making sure he shut the door behind him.

“Now, Sammy, Daddy doesn’t want you going outside by yourself, okay? You need to have me with you.”

“De?” Sam asked.

“No. Not just Dean. Me. Daddy. Don’t leave without me, okay? Daddy’s doesn’t know what he’d do if you or Dean got hurt. Daddy loves you boys, you know?”

“I know, Daddy.” Sam wrapped his arms around John’s neck in a hug.

“Daddy?” Dean called softly from the bathroom door. He was wrapped up in a towel.

John smiled. “Come on, big boy. Let’s get you dried off and get some food in your belly before it gets cold…er.”

Dean smiled. “You’re not mad at me?”

“No, big boy. I just better not hear you call your brother that word again, understood. You’re too young to be using that kind of language.”

Dean nodded. “Yes, sir. Can I eat before I get dressed? I’m starving, Dad. To _death_!”

John laughed. Dean pouted playfully and Sam began mimicking his father deep, rich laughter. Moments like these, John can get used to. Being a single dad isn’t easy by far, but it has it’s perks and it’s fun.


	4. Sandcastle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Sam kill time at the school playground waiting for Dean.

John stayed very close to Sammy as the chubby little three year old ran/waddled down the sidewalk. Dean’s school was in walking distance of the apartment John was renting out, which was a blessing. The man still hadn’t been able to find substantial work since moving to this side of Lawrence, but the people here had been more than kind to him, since he arrived. They’d done many things for him and his boys. All of Dean’s clothes, although they were hand-me-downs, fit the boy and even left him with room to grow and were all in good condition. Same for Sam.

John picked up the pace and scooped Sam up, who began squealing happily, when they began closing in on the intersection by Dean’s school. John always got there early so that Sam could run around on the playground, tire himself out there, fight the sleep on the walk home, then collapse into a coma when they got home, leaving John free to help Dean with his homework and look for employment. He needed to find a job fast. His savings were almost depleted. There was a bar not far from his apartment that was hiring. For what, he didn’t know, but screw it. He’d take it!

“Daddy, look!” Sam pointed down the street. A big truck was flying up the road way too fast and John scowled. Sam giggled.

“He’s going way too fast…” John muttered.

“Big twuck!” Sam said. When he saw his father’s disgruntled look, he pat John on the head. “I’s okay, Daddy. Big twuck gone now.” When John quirked a brow at his baby boy, Sam nodded. “I pwoud of you.”

“Oh, really? You’re proud of _me_? Why?” John waited for the light to change in his favor and looked both ways before beginning to cross the street.

“Yep. You such a big boy!” Sam praised. John just chuckled.

When they arrived at the school, Sam ran around in the sandbox for a few minutes before calling John over to play with him. John situated himself in the small box, trying to figure out how to sit inside comfortably without cramping his long legs up. He settled for sitting Indian style with Sammy in his lap as Sam built a sand castle.

“Y’know, baby boy, I think this is more of a sand pyramid.” John said. Sam looked up at him, trying to quirk a brow.

“Oh, weally?”

John laughed. “Yeah. Really. Ya little squirt.”

“Da’s okay. I like pywamids.”

“How do you know what a pyramid is?” John asked. 

“De showed me! It was in one of his books. Daddy? When can I get a book? I wanna wead! I wanna wead what De weads!” Sam pleaded.

John felt his chest swell with pride. His little soldier was teaching his baby brother what he learned in school and his baby boy wanted to catch up. He smiled. “I’ll see if I can get some things to get you up to speed. Do you still have that coloring book Miss Beverley gave you?”

“Yes! I like it! It has da dinosaurs in it.” Sam said. He kicked the sand-castle-pyramid-thingy down and John huffed playfully.

“Hey! I was gonna live in that!” He joked.

“Nuh-uh!” Sam laughed.

“Yes-huh! It was gonna be my little special place that only I can go to. I was gonna go there when you and brother start driving me crazy.” He planted a peck on Sam’s forehead and stood. He brushed the sand off of himself and Sam. “Let’s go get your brother.” 

Sam was looking over John’s shoulders and he wasn’t saying a word.

“Sammy?” John looked behind himself and saw two police officers walking towards him. John cursed.

Sam gasped. “Daddy! Bad word!” he popped John’s mouth playfully. John ignored him. When the cops walked up to him, one of them smiled, the other one frowned.

“What can I do for you, gentlemen?” John asked, turning to them.

“What are _you_ doing _here_? You know this is a school area, right?” the frowning cop asked.

John looked at him like the man was retarded. “Do you see what I’m holding? This ain’t no midget, officer. This is my son. He’s three.”

“I’m Sam.” Sam said.

“We’re waiting for his older brother to get out of school.”

“He’s De.” Sam said again.

“Now, last I checked, it wasn’t illegal for parents to wait for their kids to get out of school, so I’ll ask again. What can I do for you, officers?” John asked again.

“This is my daddy. His name is “Daddy”. We’re waiting for De. He’s in school. He weads about pywamids! We made one! See! Oops. I fo’got, I kicked it down. Hee hee!” Sam giggled, wiggling in John’s arms. 

“Well, that’s nice, big guy!” The other cop said. He turned to John. “Sorry, sir. We got a call that a strange man was just sitting hunched in a sandbox at the elementary school. I guess whoever called didn’t see this handsome little guy!” He grinned at Sam, who grinned back, showing a mouthful of baby teeth and deep dimples.

“Still, we’ll have to ask you to move inside the school and wait for your child there.” the other said, glaring at John.

John rolled his eyes. “That’s fine. You officers have a nice day.”

“Why are you so mean? Did your big bwother take your ceweal this morning?” Sam asked the grumpy cop. John lost it, laughing so hard that he leaned forward.

“Sam! You are adorable, baby boy!” John said, turning away from the officers. He did as they wanted him to, walking into the school and waiting with other parents. John watched as Sam and another boy his age kicked a brightly colored ball around. The sounds of other children quickly filled the halls and Sam ran over to his father, holding his pant leg.

Dean can into view soon enough and beamed. He ran to his father and hugged him. “Dad, look! We had a pop quiz during math today and I got 100%! Look!” He held up the trivial math test with a giant sticker that said “Marvelous!” on it and ‘100%’ written in red marker. 

John beamed down at his boy and ruffled his hair. “That’s my smart little soldier! I’m so proud of you, Deano!”

“Can we stop for some pie?” he asked hopefully.

“We sure can. You can even get it a la mode.” He leaned down to kiss Dean’s forehead.

Dean scrunched up his face and wiped off his forehead. “Dad!” he whined. “’M not a baby anymore!” He still flushed grinned with joy. Sam clung to Dean’s body. 

“De! I made a pywamid! It was in the sandbox, but I di’n’t like it anymore, so I kicked it.”

“Really?” Dean asked.

“Yup. Took out my little summer home.” John muttered loud enough for the boys to hear. “Come on, boys.” He took Dean’s hand and Dean took Sam’s and they began the journey to the diner so Dean could get his prize. He’d leave the boys there while they ate, the waitresses had no problem watching the well behaved (sometimes) boys, while he went to the bar to see about this job.


	5. First Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of John's hunt. His boys are worried.

“Sammy, please. Behave yourself. Daddy’s very tired.” John groaned, clutching his side. He was still bleeding heavily from the stab wound on his side. Sam was crying and pacing back and forth, occasionally grabbing his father’s hand and trying to pull him to the door of the motel they were currently in, begging him to go see a doctor.

“Daddy, please! I don’t want you to die!” Sam wept. Dean came in and pulled Sam into his arms and away from their father.

“Sammy, calm down. Dad’s gonna be okay. He always is.” Dean said softly. Four year old Sam turned to his brother and cried into his chest.

“Sam. Sammy, look at Daddy. Look at me.” John said softly. When he youngest looked back at him, his shirt was off and bunched at his bloody side. “It’s not that bad. It’s not that deep. Daddy will be fine. Listen, you have to get over seeing me like this. This will happen from time to time.”

“But… but…” Sam hiccupped.

“No buts, Sam. Now, be a big boy and stop crying. Try to get some sleep. When you wake up, I’ll be right here, I won’t be bleeding and I’ll be sleeping peacefully in bed. I promise.” John said. He stood up slowly, wincing at the pain, and walked over to his boys, kissing them both on the forehead. “I’m sorry, boys. Get to bed.”

John walked into the bathroom with the first aid kit Daniel Elkins put together for him. With it, he stitched up his wound and cleaned himself up. He took a few drinks of whiskey before gingerly laying down on his bed and looking over at his sons. Sammy was curled up at Dean’s side, snoring lightly. Dean was watching John.

“Sleep, Deano.” John said softly, giving his son a reassuring smile. “I’m fine.”

Dean nodded and closed his eyes. Whether his big boy went to sleep or not, he didn’t know. John fell asleep within minutes, exhausted from his first solo hunt.


	6. Fishing Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John, Dean and Sam talk about their names while fishing.

“Such a big boy now, Sammy!” John exclaimed as his five year old son grinned up at him. John picked him up and ruffled his hair. Sam just caught his first fish and it was a big one at that! Dean grinned at his little brother.

“See, Sammy? I told you you’d catch one. You just have to be patient.” Dean recast his line and sat back down on the dock. “Hey, Dad?”

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“D’ya think we could rent a boat one day? I wanna fish in the middle of a lake. It’ll be so cool.”

“Sure thing, boyo. It’s very relaxing, too. I miss going on fishing trips with your uncle. We’d be out on the water for hours, drinking beer and just talking, waiting for the fish to bite. We’d talk about everything.”

“Did you talk about us?” Sam asked. John smiled.

“Yup. Well, mostly Dean. I think I only went fishing once after Mary got pregnant with you. You and Dean were the subject of conversation, though. We talked about what she and I would do if you were a girl, like what we’d name you or how we’d treat your first boyfriend.”

“What would you have named me if I was a girl?”

“Samantha Lynn.”

“Eww!” Both boys answered. 

John laughed. “Hey, that was your mom’s idea, not mine!”

“What about me? What would my name be if I was a girl?”

“Deanna… well shit, I can’t remember your middle name. I think it was going to be Michelle or something. Dean Michael, Deanna Michelle. Sounds about right.”

“What’s my middle name?” Sam asked. 

“Henry. Samuel Henry Winchester. After your grandfathers. Dean’s named after Mary’s mother and the archangel, Michael. Your mom loved angels. Always believed they were watching over us.”

The boys were silent for a while. Sam was the first to speak up.

“What’s your name, Daddy?”

“‘Daddy’.” He smirked.

“No it’s not!” Sam giggled.

“I know what Dad’s name is.” Dean said proudly.

Sam looked up at Dean in awe. “Really? Nuh-uh! Prove it!”

Dean smiled smugly. “It’s ‘John Winchester’.”

John grinned. “What’s my full name?”

Dean looked at John. “I just said it.”

“Wrong. It’s Jonathan Eric Winchester. It’s ‘Dad’, ‘Daddy’, ‘Father’ or ‘Sir’ to you boys. You call me John, I pop your mouth, understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Both boys answered.

“Why?” Sam asked. 

“Because my sons will not call me by my first name. It’s a matter of respect.”

“I respect you, Daddy.” Sam smiled up at him. “I love you, too!”

“Yeah, Dad. We both respect you and how could we not love you?” Dean smiled.

John smiled at his boys. Moments like these were very, _very_ rare, but John lived for them and remembered each and every one.

The three were quiet for a while before John’s and Dean’s lines began to pull. With a bit of effort, they were able to each reel in a nice sized fish. They were gonna eat good tonight, which was a godsend, because Lord knows the last time John had more to eat than a few crackers and whatever he could lift from a gas station. All the food he’d had, he’d given to his boys. They need it more than he does and he will go hungry for days before his boys go hungry for one meal.


	7. Bad Trip pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam gets sick. Very sick.

“Come on, Sam. You’ve gotta eat something. Please, baby boy?”

“No, Daddy…” Sam said weakly. His chubby little face was peppered with red bumps and John could only imagine how many more littered his little body. He was running a high fever and was constantly crying or hallucinating. John was the same way when he had to deal with the chicken pox as a child. The damned thing almost killed him. Dean was around Sam non-stop. John’s idea. He’d realized that his nine year old son hadn’t gotten them yet. The older you became, the more dangerous the pox was for you.

“Dad! I think I’ve got it! Look!” Dean came running out of the bathroom, John’s flannel open wide to show off much more than he needed to show. A couple red bumps were trying futilely to hide within the dusty colored freckles on Dean’s chest.

“Good. Hopefully, you’ll take after you mother and be able to function even with them.” John turned back to Sam, who was curled up on his side. “Baby boy, please, just try to eat some toast, okay? You need something in your stomach.”

“The spiders…” he mumbled.

“What?”

“THE SPIDERS ARE TALKING TO ME!!!” he screamed, shooting up in bed and scooting back into his father’s arms. 

“Sammy! There are no spiders over there! No one’s talking except me! Calm down, Sammy. Calm down…” he shushed his little boy, who buried his face in his father’s chest. 

“Don’t leave me, Daddy! Don’t leave me!” he cried. He really was burning up. And shivering.

“Alright. Fuck this. Dean, get dressed. We’re going to the ER.”

“Okay.” Dean ran to put his jeans on. “Will Sammy be okay?”

John stood up, a disoriented Sam crying out softly for him, and threw on his leather jacket. “Yeah. He’ll be fine once the doctors get some medicine in him. Here.” He tossed Dean his jacket and grabbed Sam’s socks off the floor. He spent two minutes fighting with Sam to get them on and realized shoes and a jacket would just make the boy panic more. He wrapped Sam up in a blanket he’d bought him for his birthday six months prior.

Six months…

‘Not now, John! Take care of your boy!’ he screamed to himself. Scooping up Sam, he and Dean made their way to the Impala, getting weird looks from other people mingling outside the motel. Dean slid into the backseat and took Sam from John.

Sam immediately started panicking.

“Shh, Sammy. It’s me. It’s De.” Dean whispered, kissing Sam’s sweaty forehead. He was shaking so hard, but he was burning up.

“D-De?” Sam rasped. “’M so c-cold…” he whimpered.

“It’s okay, Sammy. Dad’s gonna take you to the doctor so they can fix you, alright?”

“Where’s Daddy?”

“Right here, baby boy. Now just be still in your brother’s arms, okay? We’ll be at the hospital soon.” John said soothingly. He peeled out of the motel parking lot.


	8. Bad Trip pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John talks to a doctor about Sam.

If the pox wasn’t back enough, the poor boy had somehow gotten the flu as well. That may have been John’s fault. He knew he’d been around the boys a bit when he had it a week ago, but it was only for a day. He’d sent them to stay with a friend while he recovered and hunted (which he swore never to do again). Still, Sam like to sleep in John’s clothes because his scent comforted him. If he wrapped himself up in one of John’s unwashed shirts, not knowing it wasn’t clean…

“Mr. Winchester?” John looked up from the newspaper that had been reading him instead of the other way around. The doctor smiled down at him. John folded the paper and stood.

“Yeah… How is he?”

“Sleeping for now. I’m a bit concerned about his weight, though. On the surface, he looks like a normal boy, but he seems to be a bit thin for a toddler. Yes, he’s a bit tall, but still…”

“Toddler? Sam is five, doctor.”

The doctor’s eyes widened and John could’ve shot himself for opening his mouth.

“Look, Doc, let me explain-”

“Mr. Winchester, if I may?” he cut John off. “I understand that times can be tough, but when you have children involved… Listen-”

“Don’t. You. Dare.” John growled. The doctor took a step back. “I’ve had enough of you people ‘suggesting’ I put my kids up for adoption or put them in some sort of foster system. They are _my_ boys and they are all I have left in this world! My boys may not eat enough to pass your little weight scales, but they eat enough to keep themselves alive and I’m doing the best I can!”

“I understand, Mr. Winchester. I’ve been in your shoes before. I’ve got three girls and I was a single father until my youngest was ten. What I’m trying to say is that there are programs out there to help you care for your kids so that you _don’t_ have to lose them. I would suggest looking into them. It would really help.”

Both men stared at each other for a few seconds before John sighed and sat back down. He looked over to Dean, who was sleeping, wrapped up in Sam’s blanket. He looked back to the doctor. 

“How long will Sam be in here?”

“Until his fever breaks. He might have to stay in all week. Is he in school?”

John nodded. “I won’t have to pull him out, will I? The boy loves it.”

The doctor chuckled. “No. I’ll write him a note. It’s quite common for a child his age to miss a bit of school due to illness. What about your older boy, here? Has be gotten them yet?”

John looked back at Dean and lifted the blanket a bit. A few more red bumps were visible on his arm now. “He has the pox now.”

“Good thing. The younger, the better. Hopefully, he’ll have it easier.”

John nodded. “Can we see him before we go?”

“Yes, but remember, he’s asleep. He might get fussy if you wake him.”

John chuckled, lightly shaking Dean awake. “Sam? Fussy? You haven’t seen Sammy fussy.”

“Are we go’n home now?” Dean slurred, rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah. Sammy’s gonna be here for a while, though. We’re gonna say bye and go back home.”

Dean nodded and followed his father to Sam’s room.


	9. School Boys pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John drops Sam off for his first day at school and meets someone.

“Daddy? Where are you going? Where’s Dean?” Sam asked, looked up at his tall, tall father with big hazel eyes.

John knelt down to his level and gave a soft smile. “Sammy, Dean is in his own class. This is your classroom.”

“Wait.” Sam quirked a brow and looked at John as if he was lying to him. “So, you’re saying that you _don’t_ want us in the same room?”

John chuckled. “Not at all, baby boy. I’m saying that Dean has his class and you have yours. You’ll see him at lunch and when school lets out.”

Sam nodded slowly. “Where are you going?”

“Daddy’s got to go to work, Sammy. I’ll be back to get you when work is over.”

“Promise?” Sam asked softly. 

John placed a light kiss on Sam’s forehead and ruffled his hair. “I promise. I’d never abandon my boys. No matter what, as long as there is air in my lungs and my heart’s pumping, I’ll always come back to you two. Now, be a good boy for your teacher. I’ll see you soon.”

“Yeah, squirt! Be good!” Dean called after poking his head in. Sam stuck his tongue out at his older brother, who laughed and ran out.

John shook his head, smiling. “What have I done? I’ve created a monster.” He joked. Standing, he took one last look at Sam, who was looking around the room at all of the toys and brightly colored decorations before walking out.

He sighed as he exited the classroom. A young blonde woman standing by the door leading to the classroom next door smiled at him. 

“First day blues?” she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

John took one look at her and smiled that trademark Winchester “wet-your-panties” smile. “Kind of. I think I’m feeling the anxiety more than he is. He’s more interested in making sure he’ll see his brother later on.”

The woman chuckled. “Two of them, huh? What’s the age gap?”

“Four years.”

“Wow. Mine are only a year apart. Must be nice having an older kid to help with the baby.”

John leaned against the wall, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. Dean is a life saver. Lord knows the kid does more than any nine year old should.” He turned his head to look at the classroom door. “Thanks to him, Sam’s gonna be ahead of his class. That little boy absorbs knowledge like a sponge. He’s gonna be damn smart.”

“Like his father, I’m sure.” she smiled. John locked eyes with the woman. She looked him over before extending her hand. “Angela.”

He took her hand and kissed it. “John. Pleasure to meet you.” he drawled, his voice low and seductive. “I’d hate to cut this short, Miss Angela, but I’ve gotta head to work. Hopefully, I’ll see you again sometime soon?”

“I hope so. My girls will be staying in aftercare while I’m finishing my shift, so maybe we’ll run into each other then?”

“Maybe.” With one last smile and a soft caress of his thumb over her knuckles, he let her hand go and walked towards the exit of the school. When he got into the Impala, the dread began to settle in. Sam was in school now. Yes, he was in the same building as Dean, but what if something tried to attack them while they were separated? Would Dean be able to find Sam in a mass of panicking children? Would he reach his little brother in time? And what about Dean? Who would be there to protect his little soldier? What if _he_ got hurt?

Sighing, John rubbed a hand down his face and tilted his head back. Too many ‘what ifs’. 

“Keep your head, Winchester. Everything’s gonna be fine. They’re safe.” he whispered.

“Don’t drift off to sleep, big guy.” Angela called from her car. She was parked across from him. 

John looked up into her sparkling blue eyes and his growing panic melted away like butter on hot pancakes. He couldn’t help but smile at the woman. No, her facial features didn’t favor Mary. Her hair was shorter and bone straight, she had a clear complexion to Mary’s light dusting of perfect freckles. Mary was athletic, but a curvy sort of athletic where this woman was voluptuous. D cups to Mary’s Bs and a plump rear to Mary’s smaller, toned but soft and cup-able rear.

The only thing she and his late wife had it common was that they both had blond hair and blue eyes, but there was something about this woman that made John feel… warm.

Happy, even.

Casting a tired smile and a light wave to Angela, he started the Impala and pulled out of the lot.


	10. School Boys pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John returns to pick up his boys.

John’s first day went great. He’d managed to find a job as a mechanic not too far from where the kids’ school was and when he showed up to the job in the Impala, the big beauty sounding like new, the boys were impressed. His boss was happy with his work, the guys were happy with his work and John was just happy to be working. It would be nice to make some real money honestly. 

Still, his thoughts kept wandering to the boys and Mary and that cursed beast that killed her. Would he attempt to strike at the boys while John was stuck here? Were his boys safe?

John sped to the school once his shift was over. He parked next to a red 1985 Ford Tempo and hopped out of the Impala. For some reason, that car looked familiar to him, but he couldn’t be troubled with trying to remember why. He walked into the school and followed the sound of laughing children to the gymnasium. The kids enrolled in aftercare were scattered about, some playing basketball, some playing jump rope, some coloring and some just running around, being kids. It put a smile on John’s face. This was what he’d always wanted for his boys.

He saw Dean chasing some girl with long blond pigtails in a powder blue dress around the perimeter of the gym. He was going easy on her, catching up to her and tickling the back of her neck before slowing down and letting think she was getting away. She seemed to like it. She giggled gleefully before stumbling over her own two feet.

John held his breath as she began to lose her balance, but Dean sped up and caught her, twisting around so that he hit the floor and she landed safely on top of him. The kids in that section all stopped playing and just stared at them. Dean stood up, helping the girl up and dusting her dress off. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. Dean’s face turned beet red and John felt a grin splitting his face in two.

“Well, I’ll be damned, kiddo.”

“Daddy!!” Sam squealed, hopping up from where he was laying on the floor with the other kids who were coloring. The tiny Winchester just so happened to have looked up for the umpteenth time, waiting for Daddy to show up and breaking out into a grin when he saw his father looking around the gym, smiling.

John knelt down to receive his youngest, scooping him up in a big hug. “Hey, Sammy. How was school?” He asked, rubbing Sam’s head gently.

Sammy leaned into the touch. “It was okay. I liked play time.”

“Oh really? What did you do during play time?”

“I read one of the Dinosaur books Dean left for me.” Sam said, pointing to his book bag and a book laying on top of it.

“Dad! You’ll never ever EVER guess what just happened to me!” Dean said as he slowed from his desperate dash to his father. He bent over to catch his breath.

“You got kissed by a girl.” John said. When Dean’s red face look up at him with green eyes wide, John laughed. “Yea, kiddo. I saw.”

“I saw it, too, along with that daring rescue.” A sweet voice said from behind John. Angela walked from behind him and knelt down to Dean’s level. “Thank you so much for that. You put yourself in harm’s way to protect my daughter and that was a very brave and kind thing to do. You’re quite the gentleman.”

John smiled down at his oldest son, who beamed with just as much pride in himself as John did with the boy.

“Good evening, Miss Angela.” John said. 

Angela turned her smile upwards to John. “Good evening, Mr. Winchester.”

John’s smile fell and he tensed. 

Angela held her hands up in defense. “Before you get suspicious, let me tell you how I know. My daughter, Julia, the girl your boy just saved, has been telling me all about this ‘Dean Winchester’ in the classroom next to hers. He called you ‘Dad’, and you introduced yourself as John, so…” She shrugged. “Two plus two is four.”

John sighed in relief and chuckled. “My discomfort was that obvious, huh?”

Angela laughed. It was like bells ringing in John’s ears, like the first time Mary laughed around him. Well, the first time she laughed after they began to like each other. Two girls, one being Julia and the other being slightly smaller with red hair pulled into a high ponytail and a pink dress to match her big sister’s came walking up, hand in hand.

“Hi mommy!” They said in unison.

Angela smiled and hugged her girls. “Hello, my little angels! You two hungry? I was thinking about getting some IHOP.” Both girls gasped with excitement.

Sam whimpered. He looked to his father. “Can we go too? I want pancakes. Please?” 

Dean looked up at his father. “Yeah, Dad. We haven’t had pancakes in so long!” he said loud enough from Angela to hear.

The youngest girl walked over to John and tugged at his pant leg. “Are you gonna come with us? Please? Mommy would like it.”

“Eva, darling, let’s not bother them.” Angela said.

John looked down into the doe-like green eyes and freckled cheeks of the pale girl and smiled. “Well, since my boys want pancakes and your mom would like us to tag along, then I guess it won’t hurt.”

The stereotypical “Yay” from the children melted John’s heart.

Maybe, just maybe he could stay like this. Keep the kids in school, maybe even find a new love interest? Maybe. 

Then again… maybe not.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no clue how many chapters this will be. I'll just keep writing them until I get bored! (Or until Sammy leaves for Stanford! LOL!)


End file.
